According to the criminal complaint, Springsteen told Agent Scott Reger, of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, that he sent the letter to the governor's office while a patient at the Mary Greeley Mental Health Unit in Ames.

"Springsteen said he authored and mailed this letter in order to get Governor Branstad's attention," the complaint stated. "He said his intention was to intimidate Branstad and to get Branstad to listen to him."

In the letter itself, Springsteen allegedly wrote that he had "a clear shot at you on Terrace Hill."

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Following is the edited transcript of the letter sent to Gov. Branstad. Vulgarities were deleted, however spelling, grammar and punctuation errors were left unedited.

"Old man Now that you have figured out we are enemies and not allies I want you dead ... Listen I want you to give me everything you can give me and I'll do the same back to you get your lawyer's ect ect I want to put you in the ground punk see you play mind (games) and rig elections were you know you can get away with it now that I'm out I got a clear shot at you on Terrace Hill! Ah HA HA HA! Well as I said Adolph the war is on you're a walken dead man now punk "Signed"! "Jerry M. Springsteen," Ex FBI and Advisor to Adolph Hitler"

"I want you to give me everything you can give me and I'll do the same back," Springsteen is accused of writing.

According to the complaint, Springsteen allegedly explained to Reger what he meant by "a clear shot."

"Springsteen said that there is a fire escape on the Meadow Gold Building in the area of Fleur Drive and Grand Avenue in Des Moines where he could take a shot at Branstad with a rifle."

The letter is signed "Jerry M. Springsteen," and the complaint said Springsteen's Fort Dodge residence was listed as the return address.

The complaint said the letter was postmarked for Oct. 18, and the DCI began investigating the case on Oct. 25.

Springsteen's attorney, Keith Uhl, of the Uhl Law Firm in Des Moines, declined to comment on the specifics of his client's case.

"He had his preliminary appearance yesterday, and the case will proceed in the normal course," Uhl said Monday.

The complaint and online court records indicate Springsteen has a criminal history that includes public intoxication, assault with a weapon and operating while intoxicated. His convictions include a guilty plea to second-degree harassment in a case where he threatened a Webster County judge.